Star Fox: Life
by Shadowfang20114
Summary: Fox recieves a new mission, and some unsettling news about his previous endeavor. How will he cope? Chapter 3 now up! Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here's my shot at a Star Fox fic. Let's start this shindig.**

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**Chapter 1 - Fatality**

The Great Fox was making it's usual slow course throughout the emptiness of Lylat, crew members snoozing lazily in their respective cabins. Even R.O.B was powered down, having nothing to work on. Things were peaceful.

Suddenly, the ship's central display lit up, the holographic form of the grizzled old dog everyone knows coming to life and breaking the silence.

"I've got a new mission for you Star Fox!"

Fox groaned, rolling over in his bed and sticking his pillow over his ears.

"General, please! At this hour!?"

The hologram reprojected inside the imageboard on Fox's cabin wall.

"You always were the lazy one. Check your watch, it's past noon!"

"Grr..General, we just had a mission, and you haven't transferred my pay yet!"

"Your pay's been docked, Fox. There was a fatality."

"Fatality..what?"

The young McCloud sat up, rubbing his eyes and smoothing down the honey and white fur on his chest.

"What do you mean a fatality? It was a routine investigation, just keeping up security on Sauria."

Pepper sighed, his digital expression flickering in exasperation.

"Upon takeoff your G-Diffuser sputtered on your Arwing. There was a blast from your tailpipe and a young Earthwalker was killed in the ejection. A warning signal was reported for at least 5 minutes before takeoff, and then reported as ignored."

Kitsune eyes showed disbelief.

"That can't be possible, I doublechecked my systems before ever starting engines. You sure it wasn't Slippy? Or Falco?"

"They were discharged from the planet at least 3 hours beforehand. And their assigned areas were nowhere near the site."

"Why wasn't I notified immediately?"

"That's what's odd about it. I just now received notification, as a note at the head of your newest mission. It's a warning, Fox. Just one more death and you'll be demoted. We run things in three-strikes format. If you strike out after that, you're done."

"Yeah yeah, I know. My record's been perfect up until now, are you sure we can't write this off? It was an accident after all."

"There are no such things as accidents in Lylat, Fox."

"Right…understood sir. Let's have that mission."

On the outside, Fox had moved past the event. But in his mind the information turned over and over.

_A fatality…on my watch? This can't be possible…and the fact that it's an Earthwalker…_

He sighed inwardly. Nothing he could do about it now.

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**A/N: Well, chapter 1 completed. Read it, review it, give me feedback. This fic can go anywhere from here. Will it descend into drama, comedy, or perhaps a crackfic? Who knows? Soon to be continued, most likely updated later today.**

**~Shadowfang~**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Forgot to mention, I don't own these guys. Unfortunately.**

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**Chapter 2 - Announcement and Conflict**

After dressing, Fox woke the crew and called a meeting to order in the center of the ship. Slippy was rubbing sleep from his bulging eyes, Falco stood in the corner holding a mug of coffee in his feathered grip and sneering tiredly, and Peppy sat, looking to be the only attentive one of the morning. Fox sighed.

"Alright everyone..I have an announcement. General Pepper gave us a new mission today."

Cheers resounded throughout the ship. Fox placed a hand on his forehead, sighing deeply.

"No, no..guys..there was a problem with our last mission. Pay's been docked."

The cheers quickly subsided. Falco took a few long strides over to Fox, beak to snout against him with a glare.

"Listen Fox, if this is your fault I'll beat your furry face in! How are we supposed to earn any money with you screwing up our missions?"

"Falco, cool it." Fox gave the bird a shove back. "It was an accident, an Earthwalker was killed because of a malfunction in my Arwing."

Anger gleaming in his eyes, Falco retorted.

"YOUR Arwing? Well then why didn't YOU fix YOUR Arwing, Fox!? How am I supposed to work with you!?"

By now the falcon was raging. Slippy tried to calm him, walking up behind the bird and placing a webbed hand on his shoulder. The frog was met with an elbow to the face and knocked back into the wall. Falco seethed.

"I'm done with you Fox. And the rest of you, good riddance. R.O.B, prepare my Arwing, I'm out."

Fox grimaced.

"Falco, don't do this, you're overreacting."

"No. You're losing us money."

Peppy stood up.

"Now Falco, don't'cha think this is kind of ridiculous? We still get payed, just less. And since when has the money ever been so important? What's gotten into you lately?"

"My business is my own, old man. All you need to know is that fur-brain over here just cost me. Big. And now, I'm screwed. Thanks a lot Fox."

And with that, he left. The remaining team watched his Arwing jet off into space. Fox shook his head, sitting in his swivel chair.

"What was that about? You guys know anything?"

The frog and hare shook their heads. Fox shrugged.

"Well...he does let his temper get the best of him sometimes...he'll be back. But now you're all aware of the situation. There's something else too."

"What is it, Fox?" Slippy said halfheartedly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Slip, apparantly there was a warning notification for the malfunction. I didn't receive it."

"Well hey Fox, do ya think it's just a technical problem?" Peppy chimed in.

"Couldn't be. I checked all my systems throroughly. R.O.B did too. I'm having him do a double mantinence check before I even depart for our next mission. Which we'll get the briefing on shortly. I just want to make sure everyone is clear on this. I don't know what caused that malfunction, and the technical bug is fishy too."

Slippy sat by the jukebox, rubbing his temples.

"You think Falco's behavior has anything to do with this, Fox?"

"I don't know Slip..I guess we'll just have to find out."

A slight smirk crossed Fox's features as he glanced at the counter.

"Hasty bird forgot his coffee..."

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**A/N: Dun dun dun. The plot thickens. As you can see, I'm taking a more serious tone with this one, and I've got some ideas. Hope you enjoy it. Read, review, yadda yadda you know the drill.**

**~Shadowfang~**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Mother of Andross it's been quite some time..bah, I apologize for lack of updates. . I've been ridiculously busy, school will eat up your time like that. Without further delay, here's the third chapter.**

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**Chapter 3 - Routine**

"Falco's absence will just have to be overlooked. As luck would have it, this mission is rather tame."

The General's expression never seemed to waver from that droopy-eyed monotone. The team was ordered to do some cleanup from their last skirmish at Fortuna. Fox scoffed at the news.

"Fortuna? That was months ago! And doesn't Corneria dispatch janitorial units or something to do that?"

"Ship debris Fox. Andross could have planted anything in those ships. Bombs, traps, you name it. We've had to close off the base."

"Then why wasn't it taken care of earlier?" came the kitsune's annoyed growl.

"I don't run everything around here Fox, it's just the way things go. And as is custom, if you make a mess, you clean it up. Pepper out."

Slippy shrugged as he switched off the hologram.

"At least it's not that hard. ROB can shoot out surface debris from the Great Fox and with a few sweeps in a Landmaster we should be able to clear out the base."

Peppy nodded in agreement, but Fox wasn't swayed.

"Something isn't right though..Falco suddenly disappearing..and now this seemingly random cleanup mission..I mean, it's true a lot of ships were grounded from dogfights but they should be nothing but particles..twisted metal. Andross wouldn't go so far as to plant anything in the wreckage. And he can't be planning anything now, we destroyed him. Scales couldn't have anything to do with it either, they're not his ships and he's too primitive.."

He felt a soft paw on his shoulder. Peppy gave him a swift pat and a reassuring smile.

"Listen Fox, it won't do any good to worry over coincidence. We're next on the mission roster and they're just low on tasks. You're head's still in the war, kid. Juss' like your dad. Always thinkin' in tactics. Simmer down, Fox. Let's go vaporize some scrap metal!"

****

Moments later the team was assembled in formation, Arwings floating lazily around the Great Fox, headed for Fortuna. As the tundra of a planet came into sight, Fox signalled for his teammates to sweep down and land just outside the base. Flicking on the intercom, he barked out an order, his head now clear and comfortable behind the controls of an Arwing.

"Alright guys, let's take out that debris!"

Suddenly, an all-too-familiar voice rang across the radio waves in a smirking tone.

"Can't let you do that, Star Fox!"

Fox's heart sank. Damn Wolf.

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**A/N: Whenever I picture Fortuna I always see the all-range base from Star Fox 64. That damn fight with Star Wolf always used to get me, but eventually I mastered following their repetetive loops. Is it just me, or does Leon sound eternally less annoying in 64 than in later installments? Why in Lylat's name they replaced his deep voice with that annoying screech is beyond me. Anyways, hope you like the chapter.**


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